Collection online

dish

Object type

Museum number

PDF.560

Description

Porcelain dish with rounded sides and everted rim. The dish has copper red glaze, creeping away from the rim too reveal a white body. There are three incised clouds in the centre, with moulded anhua dragons.

Culture/period

Date

Production place

Materials

Technique

Dimensions

Height: 43 millimetres

Diameter: 197 millimetres

Curator's comments

Published PDF date : Ming early 15th centuryRoom 95 label text:

PDF 560

Dish with copper-red glaze

‘Sacrificial’, fresh or deep red monochrome-glazed porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande era represents the peak of technical achievement at Jingdezhen. As vessels ordered for ritual use by the early fifteenth century Ming emperors, they enjoy a status above that of other porcelains. The glaze has ‘crept’ at the rim of the dish to reveal the pure whiteness of the porcelain body. The glassy glaze is covered in tiny pin prick holes like skin pores and the colour possesses an incredible powdery depth, yielding layer upon layer of strong red shades of colour. In the cavetto is a design of dragons chasing flaming pearls.